Reports: Leon Panetta to be Defense secretary; Afghan war chief David Petraeus to head CIA

View full sizeCIA Director Leon Panetta testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, in this Feb. 10, 2011 file photo. Administration sources say President Barack Obama plans this week to name CIA Director Leon Panetta to replace Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and Gen. David Petraeus, now running the war in Afghanistan, would take the CIA chief's job. The changes are expected to be announced Thursday April 28, 2011 at the White House. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to name CIA Director Leon Panetta as the next secretary of defense and move Gen. David Petraeus, now running the war in Afghanistan, into the CIA chief's job in a major shuffle of the nation's national security leadership, administration and other sources said Wednesday.

The changes would probably take effect this summer. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has already said he will leave this year, and the White House wants to schedule Senate confirmation hearings in the coming months.

All sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the changes haven't been announced by the president.

The officials say Obama also is expected to name Lt. Gen. John Allen to replace Petraeus as Afghanistan commander, and diplomat Ryan Crocker to be the next U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan.

White House spokesman Jay Carney would not confirm the plans but did say that Obama would speak Thursday about personnel moves on his national security team. A former U.S. official said all four candidates would stand together with Obama for the announcement.